


1939

by BucksomeBarnes (Freckled_Halos)



Series: The Before [10]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 1930s, Again lol, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Artist Steve Rogers, Bottom Steve Rogers, Domestic Fluff, Facials, Fluff, Gift Giving, M/M, Making Out, Moving In Together, Top Bucky Barnes, Valentine's Day, World War II, like the semen kind, not rough sex but not almost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-15 00:30:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16051736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freckled_Halos/pseuds/BucksomeBarnes
Summary: It's another Valentine's Day, but this one goes a lot better than the one in 1934.Steve has something very important to ask Bucky.A huge headline will end up changing everything.





	1. February

FEBRUARY 1939

 

After the initial night Bucky spent at Steve’s after they made up, it took Steve a few weeks to allow Bucky to stay over again. Part of it was some tiny bit of anxiety, Steve was terrified that he would wake up one of those mornings alone again, Bucky nowhere to be seen. The other part was Steve just not wanting to see Bucky’s face so much. Not until he got a little less angry at him.

Bucky was completely understanding, though disappointed. All he wanted was to prove himself to Steve, show him that was truly sorry and intended to do anything in his power to make it up to him, but he was patient. What’s a few weeks when they had the rest of their lives to be happy together?

Since then, things had gotten immeasurably better.

It was a cold Tuesday morning when Bucky blinked awake from one side of Steve’s bed, wiping at his mouth and eyes. The curtains on the window had been pulled all the way back and Bucky squinted into the white light as he sat up. Steve was gone and in his place was a small folded piece of paper. Bucky let out a long sigh and pursed his lips at Steve’s twisted sense of humor as he opened the note and read it.

When he shuffled down the hall and into the kitchen, Steve was listening to the radio and humming at the stove.

“Morning,” Bucky murmured, easing into a chair at the table.

Steve stopped humming and asked, “Did you find your note?” as he eyed Bucky over his shoulder.

Bucky let out a bit of an uneasy laugh, “I did. And it was very sweet, thank you.”

Holding back a sly smile, Steve slid the eggs he was cooking onto a plate, added a piece of toast, and grabbed a fork before setting it all in front of Bucky. Steve put a light finger under Bucky’s chin and lifted his head, leaning in to give him a sweet kiss.

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Happy Valentine’s, doll.”

Steve took a seat next to Bucky, leaning back and undoing the top few buttons of his dress shirt.

“How was the paper route this morning?” Bucky asked. “Cold?”

“Not too bad,” Steve answered, sighing. “It’s been over a month, but I’m still not quite used to waking up this early.”

“I know,” Bucky replied, setting one of his hands on top of Steve’s. “And you still make me breakfast every day, you Superman.”

Steve rolled his eyes, but smiled shyly. Clearing his throat he asked, “When will you be home tonight? Are you going to training after work?”

“Nah,” Bucky answered, scooping some eggs onto his toast and taking a bite. “We’re skipping tonight, coach didn’t think anyone would show up anyway. I should be back around six.”

“Anything special you want for dinner?”

“No, Steve, don’t worry about it. Let me pick somethin’ up on the way home.”

“You sure?”

“Of course,” Bucky answered, eating the last forkful of food. “I’m just a block away from Little Italy, lemme pick up a pizza or somethin.’”

“Alright,” Steve smiled, leaning forward to cross his arms on the table and lay his head on them, yawning. “Sounds good.”

Bucky looked sweetly at him. “Go back to bed, Steve,” he said, before bending over to give him a kiss on the cheek.

After washing his dish, Bucky stood next to Steve’s chair and massaged his shoulders gently, Steve letting out a quiet moan in response. When he didn’t move, Bucky let out a sigh and effortlessly scooped Steve up in his arms. The smirk he saw on Steve’s face as he wrapped his arms around Bucky’s neck was smug and Bucky pursed his lips at how much of a sucker he was.

But who could blame him? Looking down at Steve’s face now, Bucky felt his chest tighten. He had never felt anything like what he felt when he simply _looked_ at Steve, let alone kissed or slept with him. It was scary, but Bucky was trying to come to terms with that and be okay with the fact that he never wanted to be without Steve ever again.

Bucky gently set Steve down on his bed, pulling the covers up over him, still dressed in his street clothes. Steve curled up, letting out a long breath and a quiet “love you” before Bucky started to get ready for work.

\--

It had been a slow day at the gunsmith, cold and uneventful. Bucky took it as an opportunity to ask if he could duck out of work early, which Mr. Bianchi disinterestedly obliged. Bucky washed his hands and pulled on his coat before slipping out the door and walking down the street. He headed straight to the Macy’s downtown, weaving along the crowded sidewalk, surrounded by puffs of breaths in the crisp air and the familiar clamor of city noise.

Based on how the last week had gone, Bucky didn’t have a good opportunity to get Steve’s Valentine’s gift without having to lie about it. He couldn’t have kept it at home, where his mother didn’t respect his privacy, but he didn’t want to keep it at Steve’s either. So although he was purchasing it the day of, Bucky had planned it this way. He did, however, have a card ready.

He had noticed Steve’s warmest jacket beginning to fall apart, hems fraying and holes forming in the pockets. Bucky had been eyeing a navy blue wool coat for him in the store window since New Year’s and Valentine’s Day seemed like the best occasion to finally get it with minimal opposition from Steve. If it were up to Bucky, he’d shower Steve with gifts every second he could. It wasn’t that Steve wouldn’t appreciate them, but he would feel guilty about it, no matter what Bucky said. So most of the time, Bucky would shower him with hugs and kisses instead and those seemed to be just as good, if not better.

Bucky had the woman at the counter giftwrap the coat, using the excuse that he was purchasing a men’s item on Valentine’s Day for his mother to give to his (small?) father, as she was too unwell lately to go out in the cold and pick it up herself. The woman told Bucky he was very sweet for doing so, while Bucky’s stomach sank. It was instances like that that Bucky felt the most saddened about his and Steve’s situation. He knew it was necessary to lie about it in public, but no matter how much time passed, it never got easier. And while Bucky had finally accepted the fact that they’d never be able to live openly with each other, that didn’t mean it still didn’t make him sad to think about.

He picked up a large pizza and some cookies from the tiny Italian shop owned by friends of his mother’s before heading back to Steve’s, trying to hurry as best he could so they wouldn’t have to reheat it.

When he arrived, Steve had intimately decorated the apartment, lights dimmed and candles lit. The phonograph was playing low and slow as Bucky slipped off his shoes and stepped into the kitchen. Steve was standing at the set table in brown trousers and a knit sweater, a dark green bottle in his hand.

“Is that wine?” Bucky asked, amused, setting the pizza and cookies on the side of the table and placing the gift box and card on a chair.

Steve shrugged, gently pouring the Pinot Noir into two regular kitchen glasses. “I thought it’d make things a little bit more special.”

Bucky smiled to himself. “Thank you, doll.”

Steve smirked at Bucky from under his eyelashes before putting the bottle on the counter and easing down into a chair. Bucky sat across from him and flipped open the pizza box. Luckily, it was still warm enough and they clinked their glasses together before diving in. After they had finished and each eaten a few cookies, Bucky did the dishes as Steve put the remaining slices on a plate and set it carefully into the ice box.

Drying his hands, Bucky turned to see Steve standing in the kitchen doorway, a large envelope in his hands.

“I wish I could do more,” Steve began, fidgety. “You deserve more, but, I hope you like this at least.”

Bucky looked at him with a pained expression. “Steve, you know I don’t care about _stuff_. You didn’t have to do anything.”

“That’s not true, but regardless, I wanted to.”

Bucky pursed his lips as Steve walked forward, holding out the envelope. Bucky took it gently and sat down, opening the flap and pulling the thick paper out. On it was a painstakingly detailed pencil drawing of the two of them, smiling wide and leaning into each other. Bucky was blown away. It was stunning, almost better in quality than any actual photo they could realistically get ahold of. He stared at it, taking in each detail Steve added on himself, tiny things that Bucky loved like the different shades of blue in his eyes and light beauty marks on his face and neck. Bucky obviously knew his own face, but it was fascinating, noting what specific details Steve had made sure to include. His all-too-many freckles and crooked bottom teeth stood out as things Bucky didn’t love about himself, but they were two features Steve had sighed wistfully at over the past few years.   

A long time had passed with Bucky saying nothing and Steve shuffled his feet before easing into the chair next to him.

“Do you like it?”

Bucky raised his head, looking at Steve with wide eyes. “It’s incredible, Steve, I love it. We’ll have to get a frame to put it in.” He looked back at the drawing, smiling involuntarily. “Thank you.”

Carefully sliding it back into the envelope, Bucky set it down on the table and reached to the gift box on the chair opposite Steve.

“I got this for you,” he said as Steve took the box. “It’s not as special as a custom drawing, but I hope you like it.”

Steve looked at him, eyebrows furrowed. Before touching the wrappings, he picked up the card, reading silently to himself, his eyes becoming increasingly glassy and wide as he did. Closing it gently, he looked up at Bucky with a small grin.

“Thank you, sugar. This is too sweet.”

Bucky smiled back. “Well, it’s all true.”

Steve sighed and blushed slightly before turning his attention to the gift box. He unwrapped and opened it, pulling the coat out and holding it in front of him.

“Bucky…” he started, lowering his hands to peer at Bucky from over the collar. “This is…Buck, how much did this cost?”

“Do you like it?” Bucky answered, ignoring Steve’s question.

“Yes, of course, it’s wonderful. Thank you.” He stood to lean in towards Bucky’s face, their lips meeting slowly and drawn out. “I love you.”

Bucky pulled a small smile, placing a thick hand low on Steve’s waist. “I love you too.”

Steve stood up straight and refolded the coat, setting it gently back in the box and replacing the lid. When he turned back towards Bucky, he was staring up at him, a dark look in his eyes. Steve put his hands on his hips, giving Bucky a smug look as he took a step forward to stand between Bucky’s splayed knees. Bucky let out a long breath and cupped his hands firmly on Steve’s ass, pulling him forward to rest his forehead against Steve’s stomach. He pawed at Steve’s trousers, squeezing and rubbing as Steve ran his fingers through Bucky’s thick hair.

Leaning back, Bucky pulled Steve’s sweater out from under his waistband and ran his hands against Steve’s smooth skin underneath. Steve let out a heavy sigh, pulling his sweater and undershirt off in one motion, dropping it on the floor. Bucky replaced his hands on Steve’s backside, pulling him even closer to kiss lightly at Steve’s stomach. His lips worked their way upwards as Bucky stood until he was leaning over Steve, their mouths moving together.

“Let’s go freshen up,” Bucky breathed hotly. “Then I’m going to completely love up that ass.”

Steve bit roughly at Bucky’s bottom lip before shoving at his chest. “We’ll see about that,” he murmured back, flushed and fiery.  

After a few minutes in the bathroom, they both fumbled into bed, kissing wetly and feverishly. They hurriedly peeled off the rest of their clothes, Steve lying spread eagle on his back as Bucky grabbed the petroleum jelly from the nightstand drawer. Bucky clambered on top of Steve, straddling one of his legs as he slipped a hand down to push a slick finger into Steve. He groaned in response, wringing one hand up in the sheets, the other gripping tightly as his growing hardness.

Bucky grinded down against Steve’s thigh, his own length stiffening quickly, and ran his free hand lightly along Steve’s neck and chest. After a short while, Bucky added a second digit, then eventually a third, now painfully hard from the sound of Steve’s whines and the tightness around his fingers. Steve had been tugging at Bucky’s hair and scratching roughly down his back, giving his freckled shoulders a sharp nip or two.

“Hell, Bucky,” Steve grunted, arching his back and rolling his hips. “Come on...I want…”

“What?” Bucky leered, running his lips along Steve’s jaw. “Tell me what you want, dollface.”

“God,” Steve breathed, pawing at Bucky’s arms. “I want you in me, Buck. _God_ , I want you so bad.”

Bucky’s cock was already painfully hard and Steve’s was bright pink and leaking onto his abdomen. Any bravado Bucky was trying to hold onto faded away as he looked at his fingers working in and out of Steve’s opening. He pulled them gently out before reaching for the jelly again, slicking up his length with a shaky hand. Bucky sat back on his heels and shuffled backwards off the foot of the bed, cock sticking straight out. Standing, he leaned over and pulled at Steve’s hips until his ass was at the edge of the mattress. Lining himself up, Bucky pressed forward into Steve, pushing his pale thighs up and out as he started thrusting. Steve moaned, letting out a few grunts with each of Bucky’s pumps, and fisted his own cock. He swiped a thumb over the head, spreading slick precum to glisten along his shaft, Bucky unable to tear his gaze away.

“Christ, Steve,” he said, breathless. “You’re so goddamn beautiful, you know that? And you feel so good, doll, don’t know how I got this lucky, snaggin’ you.”

Steve let out an airy laugh, reaching towards one of his legs to lace his fingers with Bucky’s. “You? Sugar, I’m the lucky one. Still can’t believe I convinced you to stick with me this long. “

Bucky gave Steve a few extra hard thrusts in response, producing a strained cry from Steve underneath the loud slapping of their bodies meeting. Leaning forward, Bucky licked roughly at Steve’s mouth, biting and nipping, both sets of lips dark pink and much too wet.

“I love you so much,” Bucky whispered, scraping his teeth along Steve’s earlobe. “I still can’t believe I get t’ have you like this, over and over again.”

“You’ll always have me,” Steve mumbled back. “God, Buck, you will _always_ have me.”

Bucky gave Steve a lingering peck before standing up straight, pushing Steve’s thighs even further and quickening his pace. The bed frame started squeaking, headboard banging lightly against the wall, as Steve started whining more and more. Bucky licked his lips and let out a few long, wobbly breaths.

“Oh my god,” Steve sighed, pumping quicker at himself. “Oh my god, I’m—I…”

“That’s it, sweetheart,” Bucky grunted. “Come on, Steve. Cum for me.”

Steve squeezed his eyes shut and squirmed around, taking big gasping inhales. His free hand was pawing at the sheets and Bucky placed one of his reassuringly on top as he rolled his hips as fast as he could.

“Don’t stop, Buck…oh, hell…” Teeth clenched, Steve let out a quiet whimper. “Yes, right there—”

And then he was crying out—something that sounded sort of like Bucky’s name—as he shot repeatedly onto his own stomach and chest. Steve’s hand stilled to a stop as he took in big, raspy breaths and his heartrate slowed back to normal.

Bucky gently pulled away, popping out of Steve and nearly bursting with want. Steve quickly hopped onto his knees and scrambled to the foot of the bed, taking Bucky’s cock in his hand with a confidence and tenacity that almost made Bucky finish right then. He pumped back and forth, easing down onto one side to get a more comfortable grip. Letting out a long sigh, Bucky ran one hand lightly through Steve’s bangs and the other grazed his own chest, squeezing at his pec and pinching his nipple.

“Unh, Steve…” he moaned throatily. “God, yes…Jesus Christ, _yes_ —”

Locking eyes, Steve shifted along the bed, so his face was at Bucky’s groin. He placed a comforting hand on the side of Bucky’s thigh as his body tensed, spurting thickly onto Steve’s face, his eyes closed and mouth shut. Bucky let out a long groan and ducked his head, bracing one hand on the bed and another on Steve’s hip. After a few blacked out seconds, Bucky sighed heavily, and looked down at Steve who was lying there, wiping lightly at one of his eyes before opening them.

“God…” Bucky breathed, running a thumb along Steve’s streaked cheek. “Sorry, stay there.”

He cleared his throat and waddled out of the room, coming back a minute later with a damp washcloth to hand to Steve. After they both cleaned up and put pajamas on, they settled into bed on their sides, facing each other. Steve traced the curves of Bucky’s cheekbones, nose, and lips with a light touch, smiling to himself and humming contentedly.

Steve was brushing a fingertip along one of Bucky’s eyebrows when Bucky smiled, whispering, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Steve.”

Steve’s hand stilled before cupping his palm around Bucky’s cheek. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Bucky. I love you, you know.”

“I know,” Bucky sighed, placing one of his hands on top of Steve’s. “I love you too.”

 


	2. Summer

SUMMER 1939

 

Steve switched off the bathroom light and walked cautiously down the hallway, into the living room. Bucky was relaxed on the couch, reading that morning’s paper, as the radio played quietly next to him. Clearing his throat, Steve wrung his hands together as Bucky slowly looked up at him, expectantly.

“You almost ready for bed, doll?” He asked, folding the paper and setting it down on the cushion next to him.

“Yeah, but uh…I wanted to talk to you about something first.”

Bucky’s stomach dropped watching Steve stand there, anxiously fidgeting. Bucky went through as many possible things in his mind that Steve might want to talk about, but nothing struck him as something to be nervous about.

“What is it?” Bucky asked, swallowing hard.

“Listen,” Steve started, stepping forward to slide the newspaper over and sit on the sofa next to Bucky. “I know we’ve both said a lot of things in the past—about us—that sounded nice at the time, but we maybe didn’t think it all through.”

Bucky paled, starting to get panicky. He and Steve had been on such a good streak, no fights, no secrets, no drama. He didn’t know what Steve was referring to and his vagueness only made Bucky more concerned.

“But, you know, things can sound better than they actually would be. You know?” Steve looked at him with a wary expression and Bucky tried to brace himself for the worst.

“What are you talking about, Steve?” He finally asked, quiet and shaky.

“I just thought…” Steve wrung his hands together again before forcing himself to reach out and take ahold of Bucky’s. “I mean, you’re over here a lot, Buck and I love having you around, but I totally understand if you want to have somewhere to sort of escape from me, but…”

Now Bucky was just getting more confused. “What are you trying to say?”

Steve closed his eyes and took a deep breath before slowly reopening them to look at Bucky. “I’m trying to ask you to move in with me.”

Bucky didn’t know what he expected Steve to say, but it certainly wasn’t that and he sat there, silent, for a few moments, letting it sink in.

“Oh.”

“You can say no, Buck, really, I won’t be mad. You don’t even have to say anything right now, but I just…I wanted to put it out there. Because I would really like that, but only if you would really like it too.” He let go of Bucky’s hands.  

Bucky forced himself not to blurt anything out, trying to actually think through it for a minute. Of course Bucky wanted to. And the fact that Steve asked him was making his heart flutter and he tried to contain his smile. He let out a long breath and looked Steve in the eye.

“The only thing holding me back from saying yes right now is how it might look,” Bucky responded carefully.

“It’ll be fine, Buck,” Steve hurriedly replied, getting hopeful. “If that’s what you’re concerned about, my mom’s been gone for almost three years and I don’t think any of the neighbors would bat an eye at me getting a roommate. If anyone makes a stink, we’ll tell them it’s to save money, no one’s gonna argue with that.”

Steve had a good point. Bucky still wasn’t quite sure how Steve lasted this long supporting himself, just going to school and not working until the past January, but Bucky knew better than to ask Steve about his finances. He had learned that one the hard way.

It’d be so nice. Bucky wouldn’t have to worry about leaving things at Steve’s or making sure he stopped home every once in a while. They could be together all the time. They could do whatever they wanted in this cozy little apartment, all by themselves. The thought got Bucky’s heart racing.

Bucky furrowed his eyebrows and took a long breath.

Noting his expression, Steve quickly said, “Again, you don’t have to answer right now—”

“Yes.”

Taken aback, Steve blinked a few times, staring at Bucky wide bright, wide eyes.

“Yes?”

“Yeah. Steve, I would love that.”

And the smile that spread on Steve’s face made all of Bucky’s doubts and fears instantly melt away. Lunging towards Bucky, Steve threw his arms around his neck and kissed all over his face, giving him a long, slow peck on the lips.

“Now you’ll have nowhere to run off to,” Steve teased, husking into Bucky’s ear.

Bucky rolled his eyes playfully and rubbed his hands up and down Steve’s back. “There’s nowhere I’d ever want to run off to,” he whispered back.

“Good,” Steve answered, nipping at Bucky’s neck.

Letting out a big yawn, Bucky pulled back, running his hands along Steve’s arms. “ _Now_ are you ready for bed?”

“For bed or for sleep?”

Bucky laughed and rolled his eyes again. “You are insatiable, Steven Rogers.”

“I can’t help it,” Steve leered, poking Bucky a few times in the stomach. “Not when I got this stunner walkin’ around all the time.”

Bucky flushed and ducked his head. Over the years, Bucky had been no stranger to compliments like that, whether it was from girls he knew wanted to go with him or from boxing training mates who made fun of him for being such a “pretty boy.” But there was something about hearing it from Steve that always made his stomach flip and cheeks blush.

“Yeah, well,” he started, suppressing a smile. “I think it’s just some o’ you rubbin’ off on me.”

“Oh, stop,” Steve scoffed, reddening too.

Bucky grinned and stood up, stretching his arms up and yawning again before putting a hand out for Steve to grab. “Come on, Romeo, let’s go to bed…not sleep.”

Steve quickly took his hand and leapt up, speeding into his room and pulling Bucky along behind him.

\--

Bucky felt guilty doing it, but he played the money card when telling his parents he was going to move in with Steve.

“He’s struggling,” Bucky said. “He has the paper route now, but any savings Sarah had is gone and he needs help with rent.”

It made sense objectively and Mr. and Mrs. Barnes couldn’t argue against it without looking painfully apathetic, so they approved, happy that Bucky would at least be moved out and supporting himself.

The weekend after Steve had first brought it up, Bucky began packing up his room. He didn’t have much to bring with him—clothes, some books, boxing things, his favorite comb and pomade. It only took one trip from the Barnes’ to Steve’s, both he and Steve carrying two suitcases full of Bucky’s things.

He didn’t bother with any furniture. Bucky told his family it was because Steve had moved into his mom’s room and why try to transport anything big when Steve already had his “old” room for Bucky to easily move into? He just conveniently didn’t mention that one of them was actually going to stay vacant.

When Bucky walked through the threshold, suitcases in hand, the Rogers’ apartment felt different. Well, technically, it wasn’t the Rogers’ apartment anymore, it was Steve and Bucky’s.

_Steve and Bucky’s._

The fact that they now had something together, something big and tangible, made Bucky’s heart race in a way he didn’t quite expect. He knew he was excited, and had outright said as much to Steve, but finally being here, just the two of them? It felt like something they both wanted so badly, but would never actually be able to have. And now, under the guise of less than fortunate circumstances, it looked like they could truly live the lives they wanted together…at least for a little while.

Steve looked back to where Bucky had stopped just inside the front door.

“Everything alright?” He asked, praying that Bucky wasn’t suddenly regretting this decision.

Bucky’s eyes slowly slid around the room before settling on Steve. He had set Bucky’s things down and slipped off his shoes, standing casually and comfortably in the kitchen doorway, giving Bucky a wary look.

“Yeah, everything is…really good.” He smiled genuinely at Steve before stepping over to him, giving him a light peck on the lips.

In actuality, Bucky had essentially been living with Steve part time since Sarah passed, so it wasn’t a difficult transition. Little things would come up here and there—Bucky had the habit of leaving wet towels on the bathroom floor, which drove Steve insane. Steve left too many dirty dishes in the sink, which Bucky always huffed at. They had to keep two boxes of cereal in the house at all times because Steve wouldn’t eat anything besides Rice Krispies, but Bucky favored Kix. Besides the silly small things, over the past few years, they had already gone through the initial struggle of getting used to living with a new person. And because of their work schedules, both of them had ample time to recharge away from each other. After the paper route, Steve had the days to himself while Bucky was at the smiths and between his job and boxing a few nights a week, Bucky had the time away from Steve that he very naturally needed. It was a mutually comfortable arrangement.

With Bucky moving in full time, Steve finally felt it was the time to rearrange the house. He had maintained his mother’s room as she left it, keeping it clean, but not using it for much else. Now that he and Bucky shared a bed every night, Steve decided it made the most sense to switch mattresses, trading his twin for his mom’s double. They both felt slightly conflicted about it. Something seemed wrong and disrespectful about taking Sarah’s bed and using it as their own, especially considering the types of activities that would inevitably occur in it. “It’s just a piece of furniture,” Steve had said, trying to reassure not only Bucky, but himself. “It’s not her memory we’re tarnishing and it’s a waste to not be using it at all.” So they lugged her frame and mattress into Steve’s room one piece at a time, leaving Steve’s small bed in a corner of Sarah’s old room. At Bucky’s insistence, Steve slowly turned his mother’s room into a studio, which not only gave Steve a place to sequester himself away in the name of art, but also got his mess of supplies out of their bedroom, which was half the reason Bucky had suggested it in the first place. 

They spent the summer making the apartment their own. It was their escape, their safe haven where no one was around to judge them and because of that, it only made their relationship stronger. Because they had the time and ability to be together at home, it was less of a struggle casually interacting in public. They no longer had to go days without seeing or kissing each other, so when they still met up at the soda fountain on Fridays, the urge to jump on the other right then wasn’t as overpowering. They had spent the previous night together and knew they’d spend the following night together as well. And it was everything either of them could have ever wanted.


	3. September 3rd

SEPTEMBER 3, 1939

 

Steve rubbed the sleep out of his eyes for the tenth time that morning, suppressing a yawn as he waited to pick up his papers. It was a dark and cool morning, one Steve felt like he was only half “on” for as he wandered down his route. It wasn’t until halfway through that he noticed what the headline was.

“Great Britain and France Declare War on Germany.”

It immediately woke him all the way up and he hurried to finish distributing them before heading home, one paper tucked under his arm. Opening the front door, Steve kicked off his shoes and entered the bedroom. Bucky was laid on his side facing away from the door, shoulders rising and falling peacefully.

“Buck,” Steve whispered, stepping closer. “Bucky, wake up.”

He grumbled incoherently in response and pulled the covers over his head.

“Hey,” Steve sighed as he reached out to pull the sheets down and place a hand on one of Bucky’s arms. “Look at this.”

Bucky finally rolled to his back and pushed himself to a seated position, looking at Steve with narrowed eyes and a screwed up face.

“What time is it?”

“Buck, England and France just declared war against Germany,” Steve replied, breathy, holding the paper up for Bucky to see for himself.

“Oh shit.”

Steve watched as Bucky squinted his eyes in the dim light, skimming along the rest of the front page.

When he was done, he looked up at Steve with an unreadable expression. “That’s not good,” he said quietly and seriously.

“No, it’s not,” Steve answered. “And I just…”

“What?” Bucky asked, when he didn’t continue, taking one of Steve’s hands in his.

Steve shrugged. “I dunno. I just have an extra awful feeling about it.”

**Author's Note:**

> wow guys it's been A MINUTE. And I'm so sorry for that. I was just pumping these suckers out like nobody's business, week after week, but then I got into a new show (lol talk to be about amc's turn) and started working more on a personal project, and I just wasn't in the '30s mindset for a long time. But here I am, finally. 
> 
> Also, I decided I'm going to do one more work in this series, which will be the "1940s" as a whole because I just don't think I have enough stories in me to justify a work for each year. Plus, I felt like after 1938, I really finished the story I set out to tell. Like, I want to keep going until the end (of the line D:), but it felt like a natural ending and I think that's why I had such a hard time continuing. This whole series is essentially about them getting together and I feel like 1938 finalized that. But I love established relationship fic and the serum/war will create more story lines to explore, so I still have some ideas in me haha can anyone say 'first time post-serum?' lemme get a whoop whoop for that
> 
> Sidenote, I personally feel like Steve is way too old to be a paper boy at this age, but, again, I'm following "official" MCU canon, so...take it up with them. I guess he does need some kind of job. 
> 
> Another sidenote, I don't know why this is the second valentine's day I've written for them hahaha especially when i've only done one of their birthdays each??? idk i don't even like valentine's day in real life lol but i'm a sucker for these two so.


End file.
